Planning for College During Your Senior Year

The senior year begins slowly and amplifies in January, culminating in a fevered pitch in April and May. We entered the beginning of my daughter’s senior year with anticipation, and halfway through, I began to think we would never survive. By the time she walked across the stage at graduation, we were both exhausted and proud of what she accomplished.

To make things easier for you, check out this list of all you'll need to do to prepare for college application season during your senior year.

Before senior year starts: get ahead of the chaos

Before school begins, incoming seniors should prepare for the overwhelming amount of college admissions activities. Tackling (or preparing) for those college-related tasks early can help ease some stress and pressure as the year progresses. You can take steps to prepare in advance by answering these college prep questions.

Lock in your test scores early

The fall ACT or SAT test will likely be the scores you submit to the colleges. Have you registered for these tests yet? Are you prepared? Have you studied the formulas, done a few practice tests, brushed up on vocabulary, and perfected your writing skills? If not, now is the perfect time to do some test prep study in anticipation of taking the last test before applying to colleges.

Read more about SAT test scores here.

Read more about ACT test scores here.

Secure your recommendation letters now, not later

Teachers are bombarded with requests for recommendation letters when school starts. You want to be first in line for those requests to give your letter writers enough time to craft a glowing recommendation. Provide them with a high school resume when asking for recommendations. It will help teachers and mentors write a more personal recommendation.

Finalize your college list and deadlines

Now is the perfect time to finalize that college list. If you are applying early decision or early action, your applications must be completed and submitted early in the fall. You will also use this list when completing the FAFSA. The sooner you decide, the sooner you can start working on applications. The Common Application is available now for students to begin the application process.

Get FAFSA-ready before October 1

Gather all your documents to complete the FAFSA early in October. Financial aid is disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis, so you want to be first in line for the money. You can find a list of documents you need on the FAFSA website.

Have the money talk with your family

Have the “money talk” with your parents before you apply to colleges. Decide what they can afford to contribute toward college costs. Also, discuss what you will be willing to contribute toward the cost. Know what you and your parents can pay before applying to college. You can use Net Price Calculators to help determine the cost. Don’t apply to a college you can’t afford.

Start your college essay before school kicks off

The Common App essay prompts are available for students now. You should review these prompts and begin work on the essay before school begins. Summer is the perfect time to write, proof, and edit your college essay. Research admission essay examples if you're stumped on what to write about. The College Essay Guy gives some excellent examples based on common essay prompts.

Hunt down senior-only scholarships

Many scholarships require students to be seniors in high school. Summer is an excellent time to search for these specific scholarships and apply. If you don’t know where to start, here’s our list of scholarships for high school seniors. Even if you can afford college, you should apply for scholarships. It’s free money!

Hit the ground running on day one

College prep begins the day you enter high school. But, if you’re a senior, it’s time for you to hit the ground running. From the first day of school, you should begin to focus on all things college. There is, however, a high-priority item to complete on your first day: request recommendation letters.

There’s no time to waste. Teachers, administrators, and other mentors are busy people. With multiple students asking for recommendation letters, you should be first in line. It’s time to cash in on those valued relationships you built during high school. Choose people who know you well and can make more personal recommendations.

Tackle these senior-year must-dos

Since your senior year is jam-packed with tasks and deadlines, here is a quick overview of the key elements you should concentrate on.

Apply for every scholarship you can find

At the beginning of the year, check with your guidance counselor for any scholarship opportunities that have become available. Search for local scholarships with less competition. Make it your job to apply for scholarships. Use every resource available and apply to as many as possible.

Take and retake your SAT/ACT early

Take the SAT and/or ACT and verify that all your college choices are listed so the testing facility can provide those scores to your colleges. This will guarantee your scores will be forwarded and facilitate the application process. Take the tests early, so that you have time to retake them if you choose to improve your scores.

Schedule AP exams in the AP classes you have taken during high school. If you score well, many colleges will award college credit. Class tuition is much more costly than AP exam fees.

Double-check your transcript for errors

Examine your transcript early in the year and verify its accuracy. This is the year you will be getting official copies and including them in the college application packet. Many colleges are now able to receive these official transcripts electronically.

Visit campuses like you’re already a student

Schedule intense college visits to the schools that made the final cut. Many colleges offer overnight stays in the dorms and the opportunity to attend classes with other students. If available, schedule an interview with an admissions officer and an in-depth college tour. Take this time to ask questions and dig deeper. Consider a visit to the Financial Aid Offices and speak with someone regarding their specific financial aid criteria.

Trim your college list to the best 10

It’s finally time to narrow down the college list. Narrowing it to 10 colleges should be manageable. This will give you options as far as financial aid costs and allow for some possible rejections. It will also make it easier to do extensive research on every school before applying and allow you to have all the facts once the acceptance letters arrive.

Submit your college apps without mistakes

Start applications the first month of school (especially if applying ED or EA) and begin preparing them for completion. Check and double-check before submitting and follow up to ensure the colleges have received the application and accompanying documents.

Complete the FAFSA ASAP

This is the year to complete the FAFSA which becomes available October 1. Timely completion is crucial when colleges determine the accepted student’s financial aid award. Once completed, review your SAR (Student Aid Report) and check for accuracy. If you have elected to take out parent and/or student loans, gather all the information so that you will be prepared once the acceptance letters arrive.

Compare offers and negotiate if needed

As the acceptance letters and financial award letters arrive, begin comparing awards. Accept or decline offers of admission by May 1st. Take action if you feel the financial aid award is not accurate or if there is additional information the colleges might need (i.e., medical expenses, divorce, unemployment) to adjust your aid award.

Keep your grades high through graduation

You might assume senior year grades and activities don’t matter. You have already submitted your college application, so the rest of the year is a free ride. Not true. It’s important to excel in your classes because colleges that offer you admission will request your final transcript to verify your successful completion of senior year. If your grades drop significantly, colleges could reconsider their offer.

If you are vying for valedictorian or salutatorian, keeping your grades up will help in securing that spot. Many colleges and universities grant automatic admission to students in the top 10% of their class or another percentile. A high class rank and GPA can also qualify you for scholarships, both private scholarships and merit aid awarded by the college.

Additionally, if you are waitlisted at a college, closing out your senior year strong academically is your best bet for getting off the waitlist. If you received awards or recognition for your extracurricular activities or achievements, those could also help to secure you an admission offer if you are waitlisted.

Senioritis is a very real problem. Once college applications are submitted, students tend to relax. But as stated previously, colleges will check final transcripts. If there’s a red flag there and they see the student wasn’t committed for the remainder of the year, colleges will often withdraw their offer of admission. After all your hard work, it would be a shame to throw it all away because of a case of senioritis.

Learn your chances of admission

As you begin to think about options for college, it's helpful to know where you stand and how competitive you'll be when you start to submit applications.

Create a free Appily account, and you can use your academic information — GPA and test scores — to estimate how likely you are to be admitted to the schools on your list. It's always free and easy. Just click the button below to get started.